Europe is looking for someone who could talk to Putin

European Union governments are discussing the possibility of entrusting former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, or former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with representing the bloc in any negotiations with Vladimir Putin. Foreign ministers will consider the merits of potential candidates at a meeting in Cyprus next week, whilst Washington and Kyiv have said they support European engagement with Russia over the war in Ukraine.

The Trump administration, preoccupied with its own conflict in the Middle East, has indicated that it does not object to Europe speaking to Putin in parallel with US-led peace talks. Brussels had cut off its formal channels of communication with Moscow following the 2022 invasion, but the bloc now fears that a lack of progress in US-led discussions, stalling over Russian territorial demands, could leave it sidelined and exposed to an unfavourable deal.

In addition to Draghi and Merkel, some governments have proposed Finnish President Alexander Stubb and his predecessor Sauli Niinistö. European Council President António Costa indicated this month that the bloc was preparing for “potential” talks with Putin. Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, wants “someone like Draghi” or a strong sitting leader to lead the European side.

Draghi is seen as a trusted figure, respected throughout the Union, whose technocratic profile would suit the situation. On Monday, Merkel expressed regret that Europe was not involved in the negotiations, whilst noting that others would likely be better placed, as Putin would only take sitting leaders seriously. Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed in-depth discussions between partners, without commenting on names.

Putin said he was open to talks with a European representative, provided they had not said “all sorts of nasty things” about Russia. His spokesperson Dmitry Peskov welcomed the European efforts: “Putin is just a phone call away from European countries.” Several governments fear, however, that this public debate could expose divisions within the EU-27. Financial Times

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🇪🇺 European Union – 🇺🇦 Ukraine • The European Union will disburse an initial €3.2 billion in budgetary aid to Ukraine in mid-June, as part of its €90 billion loan, announced Economic Affairs Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis. A memorandum of understanding, which must be ratified by the Rada, sets out the conditions, including a commitment from Kyiv to increase its revenue by €6 billion this year. Of the €90 billion earmarked for 2026 and 2027, €60 billion will fund arms and €30 billion general budgetary needs. The interest-free loan remains subject to transparency and anti-corruption requirements.

🇱🇹 Lithuania – 🇪🇪 Estonia • Lithuanian MPs were forced to take refuge in underground shelters today and air traffic in Vilnius was suspended after a drone, originating from Latvia, entered the country’s airspace. The alert, which was lifted after an hour, came the day after a suspected Ukrainian drone was shot down by a Romanian NATO fighter jet over Estonia. Since March, several Ukrainian drones, diverted during long-range strikes against Russia, have entered the airspace of Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The Baltic states blame Moscow for these incidents, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte describing the alliance’s response as “calm, determined and proportionate”.

🇪🇺 European Union • The EU-27 are set to approve a major reform of their migration policy today, paving the way for “return hubs” for migrants outside European territory. Backed by Denmark, Austria and Germany, these centres could be established in Rwanda, Uganda or Uzbekistan. The text also provides for stricter sanctions against asylum seekers whose claims have been rejected and who refuse to leave, such as detention or extended entry bans. The left and NGOs have denounced the measures as contrary to international law, whilst France and Spain remain sceptical about their effectiveness.

🇪🇺 European Union – 🇺🇸 United States • European negotiators have agreed to remove tariffs on US industrial goods, in line with the trade agreement reached last July in Turnberry, Scotland. In exchange, Washington is applying 15% tariffs on most European goods. Donald Trump has set 4 July as the deadline, threatening to raise taxes significantly, particularly on cars, in the event of non-compliance.

🇭🇺 Hungary – 🇵🇱 Poland • The new Hungarian Prime Minister, Peter Magyar, has chosen Poland for his first official visit, to mark Budapest’s return to the European fold after 16 years of Viktor Orbán’s rule. In Warsaw, his counterpart Donald Tusk welcomed “the country’s return to Europe” and promised to defend their interests together in Brussels. Magyar is counting on Poland’s experience to recover the billions of euros frozen under the rule of law, hoping for an agreement with Ursula von der Leyen as early as the week of 25 May. The two leaders want to revive regional cooperation, in the spirit of the Visegrad Group. Unlike Orban, who was close to Moscow, Magyar has reaffirmed Ukraine’s right to defend itself. He will continue his visit to Gdansk, before travelling to Austria.

🇩🇪 Germany • The Helsing and OHB groups have announced the creation of a joint venture to develop a European system for tactical reconnaissance and targeting from space. The two companies will bid for the Bundeswehr’s “SPOCK” military programme, which combines space-based radar surveillance with target designation using artificial intelligence. The initiative, provisionally named “KIRK”, will also involve Norway’s Kongsberg and Germany’s Hensoldt. It illustrates Berlin’s military space ambitions, with plans to invest €35 billion by 2030 in response to the Russian threat and fears of US disengagement.

🇪🇸 Spain • Spain’s public debt fell again in the first quarter to 101.6% of GDP, 1.7 percentage points lower than a year earlier, the Bank of Spain announced. It stands at €1.74 trillion, still far from the peak of 124.2% reached in March 2021 during the Covid crisis. This decline is mainly due to the country’s strong growth of 2.8% in 2025, driven by household demand and tourism. The central bank has, however, warned of a possible slowdown linked to the conflict in the Middle East, which has reignited inflation.

🇸🇮 Slovenia • The leader of the nationalist right, Janez Jansa – an admirer of Donald Trump and close to Viktor Orbán – has announced that he has reached a coalition agreement to form a government, which could steer the country towards an illiberal turn. A three-time prime minister, he advocates a return to “Slovenian values” and wants to cut public funding to certain NGOs deemed too political. His party, the SDS, came second in the March general election, but the outgoing liberal Robert Golob declined to form a coalition. Jansa has secured 43 out of 90 seats, with the support of an anti-establishment party.

🇺🇸 United States – 🇮🇷 Iran • Donald Trump has once again threatened to strike Iran in the absence of an agreement, giving Tehran “two or three days”, after cancelling a planned offensive at the last minute at the request of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In response, the Revolutionary Guards have vowed to extend the war “far beyond the region” in the event of further aggression. A fragile ceasefire has held since 8 April, following more than a month of war triggered on 28 February by an Israeli-American attack. Talks, conducted via mediators including Pakistan, are stalling: Washington is demanding that Iran retain only a single nuclear site and transfer its highly enriched uranium, whilst Tehran is calling for the unfreezing of its assets and the lifting of sanctions. Tehran still controls the Strait of Hormuz, where it intends to levy transit fees, keeping the price of Brent crude above $109 a barrel. In Lebanon, Israeli strikes killed 19 people yesterday, despite the ceasefire declared on 17 April.

🇮🇱 Israel – 🇹🇷 Turkey • The organisers of the Global Sumud humanitarian flotilla, en route to Gaza, have stated that Israeli forces intercepted 39 of their vessels in the eastern Mediterranean. The operation involved 426 people from 39 countries, including around 20 Turks. Israel had warned that it would not tolerate “any violation of the legal naval blockade imposed on Gaza” and called on the participants to turn back. Ankara denounced a “new act of piracy” and demanded the release of its nationals. This was the flotilla’s third attempt, following several interceptions, including one last October that led to the arrest of activist Greta Thunberg.

🇮🇱 Israel • The Knesset today approved at first reading a bill aimed at its dissolution, the first step towards early general elections that look set to be perilous for Benjamin Netanyahu. The bill, passed by 110 votes out of 120, still has several stages to go through over the coming weeks before a possible vote, at the earliest in late August. Orthodox parties criticise the Prime Minister for failing to honour his commitments regarding the exemption from conscription for students at Talmudic schools. Netanyahu, for his part, is seeking to delay the deadline, as his term is due to end on 27 October.

🇮🇱 Israel • Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich claimed to have been informed that the International Criminal Court was seeking a “secret” arrest warrant against him. The far-right politician described the move as a “declaration of war” by the Palestinian Authority and labelled the Court “anti-Semitic”, without specifying the charges. According to Middle East Eye, the request was made in April for “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity”. The ICC had already issued warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024. Smotrich has also ordered the evacuation of a Palestinian Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank.

🇨🇳 China – 🇷🇺 Russia • Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin affirmed today in Beijing the “unshakable” nature of Sino-Russian relations, less than a week after Donald Trump’s détente-seeking visit to China. The two leaders agreed that the US and Israeli strikes against Iran violated international law, calling for a swift return to dialogue. They signed several agreements and extended a good-neighbourliness treaty, but made no significant progress on the “Power of Siberia 2” gas pipeline, which is vital for Moscow. Weakened by four years of war in Ukraine, Russia remains more dependent on China than the reverse: Beijing accounted for more than a third of its imports in 2025.

🇧🇴 Bolivia • Protests against President Rodrigo Paz have intensified in La Paz, where police and demonstrators clashed violently in a city cut off from the rest of the country by roadblocks. Six months after taking office, the centre-right head of state is facing the wrath of farmers, workers, miners and teachers, who are denouncing the worst economic crisis in 40 years, with inflation at 14% year-on-year. The courts have ordered the arrest of a trade union leader on “terrorism” charges. The government accuses former president Evo Morales of fuelling the unrest, and one protester has died during the clashes.

🇺🇸 United States • A wildfire dubbed the ‘Sandy Fire’ has forced authorities to order the evacuation of around 29,000 people near Los Angeles, with no casualties reported so far. Starting on Monday near Simi Valley in Ventura County, the fire has ravaged more than 5.5 square kilometres, fanned by winds reaching 55 km/h. Some 500 firefighters, supported by aircraft and helicopters, were battling the flames. The fire comes after an unusually warm winter that has dried out the vegetation, in a region still scarred by the fires of January 2025, which claimed 31 lives.